Ways To Market Yourself

Hello everyone!

I've been struggling lately with ways to market myself as a pet photographer. I switched from weddings/families to full time pets in February/March 2011. This month I photograph my last two weddings and will be fur-only from here on in (YAY).

My biggest hurdled at the moment is letting people I know I'm here and getting clients in the door.

I was wondering how some of you market yourselves to get the word out about your studio or professional services. What has worked, what hasn't. I feel like I am spinning my wheels at the moment. Help, ideas?

I've tried:
- Adding my flyer to grab bags at local fairs/festivals
- Street canvassing, dropping my flyer into mailboxes
- Setting up a small booth at pet shows (usually a 3-4 hour event at a local summer fair)
- Setting up a booth at the local cat club show
- Using free adds (local online magazines, the news paper, craigslist/kijiji etc . . .)
- Donating a free session as a door prise at the pet show/cat show

. . . And so far, nothing, my inquiries are few and far between. Even the people that have won the gift certificates have not come out to claim their prize.

I've done countless free sessions for families and friends to make myself appear busy on my Facebook and website (and to portfolio build). But the truth is, I've had one paying customer since I started this adventure.

I'm not sure where I am going wrong. Maybe I just need to give it more time and keep at'em like I have been doing and persistence will pay off?

I'm open to hearing what you all have to say. Thanks for the input.

Nicole,
how did you market your wedding/family portrait business?

Jim

For weddings/families I was mostly shadowing fellow photographers in the area. I would second shoot at their weddings and taking on some of their overflow such as a baby's b-day party.

Using craigslist and kijiji would generate inquires for weddings and even baby baptism events.

I also did some free shoot events, i.e the ladies that make the tutus and girlie clothing were always looking for photographers to take portfolio work for them. As a new photographer, this was a great way to meet 15-20 families at a time. Not to mention that the ladies themselves would become your biggest advocate and fan.

Doing the same types of things just don't seem to work for me in the pet photography industry. So I was just wondering what others out there are doing.

Nicole,
my approach to marketing is very simplistic. First, I identify who my market is; then I figure out how to reach them; I try to understand how they buy (their buying process); and then I find the media that will reach that audience with the right message(s). Now that's pretty abstract so let me focus it a bit.

First of all, the "pet photography" market is a pretty big, amorphous group. Are you talking about dog owners; cat owners; bird owners; all of the above? Are you looking for all of the people in one of those groups egs. dog owners? Or are you looking for a segment of that market such as dog owners who show their dogs? Or, dog owners that live in upper-middle class to affluent neighborhoods?

Once you've targeted your market a bit the question is do they buy what you're selling and if they do, how do they buy it? For example, if dog show exhibitors buy pet portraits at dog shows then you know you have to be at dog shows. If upper-middle class dog owners tend to buy on impulse at special events, then you would need to be at those special events.

Then you'd have to shape your marketing program/materials/offers to those people and that buying process. Obviously, it gets far more complicated than that when you take into account the differences between markets geographically -- James in NYC and Julie Poole in Knoxville -- but within those variances is an approach you can use to reach a particular segment. Once you've reached it and started to produce paying customers, you'll have work that you can use in your marketing program and references/referrals for additional work which is ultimately your pot of gold. That's where social media plays a huge role. You would be amazed with the number of puppy shoots I get from publishing pictures of my own puppies on FaceBook.

You have to start somewhere. You can't reach everybody and offer everything. I suggest you focus on a particular segment of a particular market and work that segment. Get some business. Get some exposure. Get some clients. Get some samples. Once you've done that for one segment -- and it may become your only focus for a long time -- then you can expand your program to other segments or other markets. In my experience, the hardest thing to do is find that one niche where you will have immediate success and leverage it to build a larger business.

I apologize that this message contains a lot of broad generalities but I'll be happy to answer specific questions if you'd like.

Jim

Thanks Jim,

Great questions and insight.

My market is middle to upper middle class pet owners, cats and dogs. Quite possibly a slightly older empty nester or younger couples who's "baby" is their "fur-baby." The dog owners that tend to buy on impulse at special events.

References/referrals may be golden, but its producing those first few paying customers that I seem to be hung up on.

Sounds to me like I am on the right track or at least well on my may to getting there. I just haven't given myself enough time for my seeds to blossom into a garden of flowers.

Well, not necessarily. If you're already doing a lot of the "right" things, then it may be that you are not doing them well (no insult intended but there's being at a show but being there with a less than impressive booth, for example). Passing out flyers is fine but how professional are the flyers themselves? How good are the images you are using to sell your capabilities? How professional is your booth at shows?

I realize that a lot of this is a Catch 22: you need clients to get good work to show but you need good work to get clients . That's why a lot of us do volunteer work to build our portfolios either at shelters or with Rescue Groups. You can't sell potential or promises. You have to have portraits that show what you can do and that are good enough for potential clients to visualize in their own homes. I'm not suggesting that you don't have those images. I'm merely emphasizing that you need to have them.

And, yes, the process does take time. You can decide that a particular venue isn't giving you access to the right people but if it does deliver the right audience and they still aren't buying, then it's something else. And maybe it's merely the opportunity to see your work again. We have major, national corporate clients that sell through trade shows and they understand that being at one show once isn't going to necessarily provide them with the sales opportunities they need. So, they budget for all the shows and they go back at least twice before they even consider pulling the plug on a show. In advertising, the formula is Reach X Frequency and it holds for shows as well as media advertising. If you reach your audience at one show and they don't buy, there's a chance they'll be more receptive at the next show if you are also there. Or the next one.

Jim

Yes... I agree with Jim. I am right now just at what I would consider my portfolio building stage. I photograph rescues and post them on Facebook and my blog to help find homes. I've had 3 people CONTACT ME to see if I was doing any paid sessions because they wanted to hire me.

So get in touch with a local rescue group and see if they have someone already providing this service... if not volunteer and get your watermarked images out there! Its great practice, because often these animals aren't socialized as well as a regular pet so it really makes you work for a great image. Makes a well behaved, trained dog EASY PEASY!

Rachel

Actually, my flyers/marketing material were all wrong and I had a less then impressive booth too. It was just kind of thrown together with (4x6, 5x7, 8x10 etc . . .) prints of my work, rather then showcasing the products that I want to sale (albums and wall portraits). And my flyers were nothing more then a price list.

But catch 22, I didn't have the funds buy those 16x20 wall portraits that I would have loved to have there. So you hit that right on the nail Jim.

I just spent a week in a business for photographer course - it was amazing and eye opening. Believe me things are going to noticeable change and are in the works. I really paid attention in class!

I think I have a pretty strong portfolio, I'm just not showing it off in the way it should be in order to draw attention.

When the new marketing stuff is in place, I'm hoping to come at them strong with the WOW factor and knock their socks off!

Rachel,
because I tend to work primarily with show dogs, I forget how difficult it can be to work with "family pets" that are not trained. Even our Moxie will sit/stay when told to do so. Well, most of the time . But your point is a good one: if you can make it work with dogs that don't have much training or, more importantly, much attention or play/food drive (or too much) then you can handle any situation that comes up in the future.

Jim

I actually shot my FIRST dog that new how to sit and stay a few weeks ago and I was blown away by how easy a session it was. Sometimes the rescues are shy and don't even want to look at you. You spend time trying to bond with them so you can get some good eye contact.

Definitely good practice!!!

Being new-ish to pet photography I never even knew that there was a market for purebred photography or photography at the shows until just recently. Unfortunately my area does not host a lot of these type of events. However, I feel that my style is more suite to creatively photograph the family dog/cat, the fur-babies.

Thanks for the advice Jim and Rachel. I think I was kind of able to answer some of my own questions and at least reaffirm the changes that I already know I need to make.

I think if you are working with 'pets' then you may want to work on the pet/owner connection in some of your photographs.

When I looked at your link, I saw some technically nice photographs. But many were missing the element of personality.

Loved the milkbone on the nose.

If you are doing mainly dogs, take a look at some of Julie Poole's work.

Thanks for the input. I've always preferred studio work over shooting outside. I haven't had too many request yet to photograph dogs with their owners.

When you say the element of personality is missing can you expend on this for me?

With marketing, you have to offer something that others can't do. Whether it is a style, a product, or just *something* that sets you apart from others.

Then you need to create urgency. How many of us say "Oh, that looks nice" Or "That's a good deal" but, if there is no urgency, we put it off. I raise my hand on that one.

Then, start targeting true pet owners. I am a pet owner. I have 4 dogs. I would be targeted as upper middle class. You'd NEVER get me to spend money on photography. Its not what I personally value. I don't spend money on great clothes. I don't care. I like them, but not enough to part with my money.

Some of my best clients would not have been in my targeted market had I gone off the book. It isn't how much someone has, its how much someone wants it and how much they value it. We ALL value things differently. I've spent a small fortune on dog showing and camera stuff and horses, but, pictures or expensive handbags? NO.

First and foremost you must give a reason that will make people choose you.

I've begun to re-think the whole "create urgency" bit. At least re-think the way I go about it. Gallery expiration dates don't seem to cut it, and Early Bird Discounts don't do a lot either.


Perhaps, I should switch to an "Early Bird Bonus" instead.

Oh, and pet parade, pet fairs,and things like that will get you out in the public eye, but, mostly draw in the want it for $5 a photo crowd.

I hear you loud and clear! Lessons have been learned this summer and now it's time to move forward and better myself. I really appreciate all the wonderful advice and comments, thank you. I've been learning a LOT about the creating value and urgency. Anyone have any suggested good reads?

Hard to describe, its more of a feeling. Maybe it is the lack of direct eye contact in many of the shots. Or maybe it is the angles that show parts of the animal but not all. I guess I just want to feel more of a connection with the images.

Julie, I agree. However, it's different with dog shows, for example, where you can actually book the work. Whether it's worth the cost of the booth and booth space is another issue entirely but if it gives you clients, exposure and an opportunity to increase your portfolio, it might be worth it.

Finding a target market that is defined as folks who own pets and are likely to make an impulse-buy is kinda difficult. There needs to be some additional way to find them prior to them standing in front of you wanting your product. Whether that's demographics, psychographics, lifestyle or whatever, you need to be able to reach them regardless of your media preferences. Have you ever profiled your client list to come up with a profile (or profiles) of your best buyer(s)?

Jim

My best buyers are those who have rescued a pet from a shelter, do not have children, have purchased a doodley style dog(the ones that spend a fortune on them do well with me too)and Doctors are very good clients.

Engineers and scientific clients don't tend to open their wallet as much. People in sales or who work in group style jobs will.

Single women spend more than couples as a rule. If the husband comes, they spend less.

Holy smokes, Jim/Julie, you guys are on the ball with the client profiling! That's awesome! That type of thing never even crossed my mind! WOW! I'm a bit away from doing that type of thing, still have to get the clients in the door first.

Any ethnic differences? We have a very large Hispanic community here in Florida in general and in Orlando specifically. But it is not homogeneous with huge demographic differences between the Cuban community, the Puerto Rican community, the South American community, etc. So, profiling this group is important but pretty difficult.

Jim

Nicole,
it is axiomatic that your best prospects look a lot like your best clients. And, in fact, your best prospects may often be your best clients . But, yes, first you have to get some. For us, there's the cross-selling opportunity from the show photography to get portraits and advertising. And, I've even gotten two weddings as a result of relationships built from the show photography.

Jim